Authors(s) and Affiliation(s)

Abstract

Starting from the recognition of the fact that cities are no longer the ones to wich our institutional system refers, the essay offers an overview of the recent Italian urban history, investigating how cities changed over time and how geograhical researches described and interpreted this phenomenon in different geographical contexts. Quoting from a recent report issued by the Italian council for social Sciences, the A. analyzes the current "horizontal" and "vertical" process of deconstruction of the urban systems, emphasizing the need for a national urban policy. The “Urban Agenda” launched by the Italian Government should now answer to such a need. - (NF)